Every year, dive boats from Looe Key Reef Resort,
on Ramrod Key in Florida, take 20,000 divers to Looe
Key Reef, but that number is now being sharply
reduced -- this crown jewel in Florida's reef system
is on the verge of extinction. From the Lower Keys to
Martin County in the north, Florida's Atlantic coast is
suffering from stony coral tissue loss disease.
Although outbreaks of this disease have never been
uncommon, its geographic range is unprecedented
this time, as is its extended duration, rapid progression,
high rates of coral mortality and the number of
species affected. Coral bleaching and septic discharge
emanating from Lake Okeechobee have taken their
toll over the years, but stony coral tissue loss disease
could be the coup de grâace for the coral on Looe
Key Reef, and many others. Presumed to be caused
by bacteria, this disease can be transmitted coral to
coral by both contact and ocean currents. Florida Keys
National Marine Sanctuary researchers are working on
strategies for treating diseased colonies and identifying
genotypes of corals that may be resistant.
What should Florida-based and Florida-bound
divers do to ensure we don't make matters worse? Always remove any sediment or debris from your
gear after every dive, and wash it thoroughly with a
bleach solution if it has come into contact with coral.
Otherwise, wash it using anti-bacterial soap. (If you
use quaternary ammonium solution to decontaminate
dive gear, it should be properly disposed of in a
sink, tub or shower -- never poured into the ocean or
a storm drain --- but be aware that it can adversely
affect septic systems and leak into ground water.)
Brian Lapointe, a research professor at Florida
Atlantic University, just released a study of data collected
over three decades revealing what nobody
wants to hear. "Sadly, we've lost virtually all of the
coral [in Florida]," he says. "We're down to five percent
of what we formerly had."
In an effort to learn more about the extent of stony
coral tissue loss disease, agents for Florida Sea Grant,
a University of Florida-based coastal conservation
program, are training recreational divers to conduct
surveys in South Florida. Contact Ana Zangroniz,
Florida Sea Grant's agent in Miami, for more info at
azangroniz@ufl.edu